Jerusalem Theatre
History
In 1958, the Jerusalem Municipality, headed by Mordechai Ish Shalom, held a design competition for a municipal theatre on a plot of 11 dunams (2.8 acres), on the southern edge of the Talbiya neighborhood. Architects Michael Nadler, Shulamit Nadler and Shmuel Bixson won first prize. The municipality also received a large donation from the Jewish millionaire Miles Sherover, who made his fortune in Venezuela.
The cornerstone laying took place in October 1964. Despite plans to complete the building within two years, work progressed slowly due to disputes and budgetary problems. Critics claimed that the city had more pressing problems and predicted that the theatre would be a "white elephant." The building was dedicated in October 1971.
American millionaire Lester Crown, who had donated $9 million for a new sports stadium, in the Shuafat area that was never built, was persuaded by Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek to change the designation of the donation from sports to arts and culture. The money was used to build the Henry Crown Concert Hall, which seats 750, and the Rebecca Crown Auditorium, which seats 450. The planning and design of the new wing was carried out by the same architectural firm, so that the new wing, named for Crown's parents, was a natural continuation of the original design.
Architecture
The theatre combines sculptural elements of exposed concrete with traditional Jerusalem stone construction. It sits in a large public square that is used for outdoor concerts and other events.
Tenants
See also
- International Convention Center (Jerusalem)
- Music of Israel
- Architecture of Israel
- Culture of Israel
References
- ^ "About Us". Israel: Jerusalem Theatre. Archived from the original on 25 April 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
- ^ "Don't Name it After Me". Haaretz. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
- ^ "MILES SHEROVER, INDUSTRIALIST, 80". The New York Times. 1976-03-04. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
- ^ "About the Building". Jerusalem Theatre. Retrieved 2022-08-01.